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House, Senate Cost Taxpayers $45-Million

The House and Senate cost Illinois taxpayers $45 million last year. That’s according to a couple of final audits from the state’s previous Auditor General.
Illinois Auditor General William Holland retired December 31 but before the end of the year issued reports indicating the Senate cost taxpayers $19.6 million. That’s nearly $300,000 more than the year before but $1.5 million more than 2013. Increased costs were found in expenses of legislative leadership for both the offices of the President and minority leader.

The House cost $25 million in 2015, which was about $300,000 more than 2014 but about $60,000 less than in 2013. Among various increased costs were expenses of committees, printing, and both the offices of the Speaker and minority leader.

The report says there were 486 employees in the House, which is about level with 2014, but about a dozen more than the year before. The Senate had 344 employees in 2015, 15 more than in 2013.

Meanwhile the most recent data available by the Legislative Audit Commission about the Auditor’s office, which is audited by an independent accounting firm, there were around 100 employees and a budget of $30 million in 2013, $4 million more than in 2012.

After receiving the constitutional approval from both chambers of the General Assembly, former Democratic House legislator Frank Mautino is the next Auditor General.

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